Manual vs. Automatic: Which Gets Better Gas Mileage Today?

In most new cars, modern automatics—especially CVTs and advanced multi-speed automatics—match or beat manuals on fuel economy. While manuals once had the edge, improvements in transmission hardware and software now help automatics deliver equal or better mpg in EPA ratings and, for many drivers, in real-world use. Below, we explain why the landscape has shifted, where exceptions remain, and how to maximize mileage with either choice.

How the Fuel-Economy Story Flipped

For decades, manuals used to return better gas mileage because they were lighter, had fewer parasitic losses, and gave careful drivers precise control. Over the last 10–15 years, automatics added more gears, smarter shift logic, near-constant torque-converter lockup, and technologies like cylinder deactivation and stop–start that pair seamlessly with computer control. Continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) can also keep engines in their most efficient rpm band. As a result, EPA fuel-economy ratings for comparable engines and trims now frequently show automatics at least matching manuals and often edging them out—especially in city or mixed driving.

What Real-World and EPA Ratings Indicate in 2024–2025

Across recent model years, the U.S. EPA’s fuel-economy listings show that when a model still offers both transmissions with the same engine, the automatic usually equals or slightly beats the manual in combined mpg. Sports coupes like the Subaru BRZ/Toyota GR86, for example, rate higher with the automatic than the manual; many SUVs and crossovers that once favored manuals now only offer automatics or CVTs because they return better official ratings and drivability. Although a few outliers persist—often where a manual has an unusually tall top gear—those are increasingly rare in the U.S. market.

Why Automatics Often Win Now

The following list summarizes the engineering and technology changes that have tilted the fuel-economy balance toward automatics in recent years.

• More gears and smarter ratios: Eight-, nine-, and ten-speed automatics keep engines near peak efficiency more often than older 4–6 speed boxes.
• Torque-converter lockup and reduced losses: Modern designs lock up quickly and often, reducing slippage that used to sap fuel economy.
• CVTs and DCTs: CVTs hold optimal revs for efficiency; dual-clutch transmissions combine fast shifts with low mechanical losses.
• Software optimization: Shift maps anticipate grades, loads, and throttle, staying in efficient gears longer than most drivers would manually.
• Integrated efficiency tech: Auto stop–start, cylinder deactivation, and mild-hybrid features are tuned to work seamlessly with automatics.
• Aerodynamics and calibration: EPA certification calibrations and coastdown strategies are often optimized around automatic setups.

Taken together, these advances allow automatics to exploit efficiency gains in daily driving conditions where manuals historically struggled to match optimized shift behavior.

When a Manual Can Still Match or Beat an Automatic

While less common, there are circumstances where a manual might equal or exceed an automatic’s fuel economy, especially in a narrow use case or with a skilled driver.

• Steady-state highway cruising: A manual with a very tall top gear can sip fuel at constant speeds on flat highways.
• Driver expertise: Smooth, low-rpm upshifts and anticipatory driving can outperform an automatic’s shift map in specific scenarios.
• Older or simpler vehicles: In aging fleets where automatics lack lockup or have fewer gears, a manual may hold an advantage.
• Regional market quirks: In some non-U.S. markets with different tuning or diesel options, manuals can still compare favorably.

These cases are increasingly niche, and most buyers will see equal or better overall mpg from an automatic given modern calibrations and mixed-driving patterns.

City, Highway, and Mixed Driving: What to Expect

This list outlines typical outcomes by driving environment, reflecting both EPA tests and common real-world results.

• City: Automatics usually win, aided by optimized low-speed shift logic and stop–start systems.
• Highway: Often close; automatics frequently retain a slight edge thanks to very tall overdrive ratios or CVT behavior.
• Mixed/commuting: Automatics typically lead because they adapt continuously to traffic and terrain.

Your results can vary with driving style, terrain, load, and climate, but most drivers will see automatics perform at least as well across these scenarios.

Practical Tips to Maximize MPG (Manual or Automatic)

The following best practices help you get the most from any transmission, regardless of its type.

• Anticipate and smooth: Gentle throttle, early upshifts (manual), and avoiding sudden braking improve efficiency.
• Tire care: Proper inflation and alignment reduce rolling resistance.
• Speed discipline: Aerodynamic drag rises sharply above highway speeds; 65–70 mph often yields better mpg than faster cruising.
• Lighten the load: Remove roof racks when not in use; avoid unnecessary cargo weight.
• Use eco modes: Transmission and engine maps in “Eco” can meaningfully reduce fuel use.
• Maintain the vehicle: Fresh plugs, clean air filters, and correct fluids keep powertrains operating efficiently.

Small habits compound over time; even with the same car and commute, careful technique can deliver notable gains.

The Bottom Line

For most current vehicles, automatics—including CVTs and dual-clutch units—deliver equal or better gas mileage than manuals. A skilled driver in a specific scenario may coax a manual to match or top an automatic on the highway, but broad EPA data and everyday driving patterns now favor the automatic. If fuel economy is your priority, you’re unlikely to give up mpg by choosing today’s automatic—and you might gain some.

Summary

Modern automatics generally get better gas mileage than manuals, thanks to more gears, efficient lockup, CVT/DCT designs, and software that optimizes shifting for real-world conditions. Manuals can still shine in limited scenarios—especially steady highway cruising with a tall top gear and a smooth driver—but those cases are increasingly rare. For most buyers and most trips, the automatic is as efficient or more so.

Which transmission is best for mileage?

A Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) generally offers the best fuel economy, but the “best” option depends on the specific vehicle, its driving conditions, and the quality of the transmission’s design and components. While manual transmissions once offered better mileage than automatics, modern automatic transmissions and CVTs have advanced significantly, often surpassing manuals in efficiency. CVTs excel by keeping the engine in its most efficient operating range, and advanced automatics with more gears can also outperform manuals by optimizing performance for various speeds. 
Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVTs)

• How they work: Instead of fixed gear ratios, a CVT uses a system of pulleys and a belt to provide an infinite range of gear ratios. 
• Why they’re efficient: This allows the engine to operate at its most efficient point for a given speed, improving fuel economy and providing a smoother ride. 

Advanced Automatic Transmissions 

• More gears: Many modern automatics feature a higher number of gears, giving them more options to keep the engine in its optimal operating range for different speeds. 
• Optimized shifting: Advanced software allows these transmissions to shift more efficiently, further enhancing fuel economy. 

Factors influencing fuel economy

• Driving conditions: Stop-and-go city traffic can negatively impact a transmission’s fuel economy compared to consistent highway driving. 
• Quality of design: High-quality components and precise manufacturing can significantly reduce friction losses within any type of transmission, leading to better efficiency. 
• Driver input: With a manual transmission, a skilled driver can shift to maximize fuel economy, but a driver with an aggressive shifting style can achieve lower mileage than an automatic. 

Do you get better gas mileage with a manual transmission?

No, manual cars are not inherently more fuel-efficient than modern automatic cars; while manual transmissions used to have better fuel economy, advanced automatics with more gears and Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVTs) now often surpass manual efficiency by keeping the engine in its optimal operating range. Fuel economy is now more dependent on the specific vehicle’s technology and the driver’s driving habits than on the transmission type itself.
 
Why Manuals Used to Be More Fuel Efficient

• Simpler, Direct Drive: Old automatic transmissions, with their limited gears and inefficient torque converters, lost more energy and weren’t as efficient as a manual’s direct, clutch-based connection. 
• Driver Control: A skilled manual driver could shift gears to keep the engine in its most efficient power band, something older automatics struggled to do. 

Why Modern Automatics Are Often More Efficient 

• More Gears: Modern automatics and CVTs have significantly more gear ratios, allowing them to operate at lower RPMs for better efficiency at various speeds.
• Improved Torque Converters: The technology in automatic transmissions has advanced, reducing power loss from the torque converter.
• Advanced Electronics: Computerized and learning transmissions can optimize shifting for better fuel economy.

Factors That Affect Fuel Efficiency Today

• Specific Vehicle Technology: Some newer cars, especially smaller European models, may still be more efficient with a manual transmission, but it’s not a universal rule. 
• Driver Behavior: A driver’s awareness and habits (smooth acceleration, smart gear selection) significantly impact fuel economy, regardless of transmission type. 
• Hybrids and CVTs: Hybrid vehicles, which use electric motors alongside traditional engines and often employ CVTs, achieve much higher fuel economy than most manual transmissions. 

Which has better gas mileage manual or automatic?

Modern automatic transmissions are often more fuel-efficient than their manual counterparts, a reversal of older vehicle trends where manuals held the advantage. This shift is due to advanced technology in automatics, such as more gears and optimized electronic shifting, which can achieve better fuel economy by keeping the engine in its most efficient operating range. While manual transmissions offer direct driver control, potentially leading to greater fuel savings in the hands of a skilled driver, automatic transmissions are now frequently the more fuel-efficient choice for the average driver. 
Why Automatics Are Now More Efficient

• More Gears: Modern automatic transmissions often have many gears (e.g., 5 to 10), providing a wider range of ratios to help the engine operate at lower RPMs for better fuel efficiency. 
• Electronic Control: Computers in modern automatics precisely select the optimal gear for a given workload and throttle position, maximizing fuel economy. 
• Improved Designs: Technological advancements, including more efficient torque converters and dual-clutch systems, have improved the fuel economy of automatics. 

Manual Transmission Fuel Economy

• Driver Skill: A skilled manual driver can achieve excellent fuel economy by carefully selecting gears and keeping the engine in its optimal power band. 
• Direct Connection: Manual transmissions provide a more direct connection between the engine and transmission, reducing energy loss compared to some older automatic systems. 

Key Takeaways

• Older vs. Newer Cars: Opens in new tabThe notion that manual cars are always more fuel-efficient is outdated; this was true for older vehicles, but modern automatic designs have reversed this trend. 
• Check the Window Sticker: Opens in new tabWhen buying a new car, the window sticker will list the EPA-rated mileage for both manual and automatic versions of the same vehicle, allowing for a direct comparison. 
• Driving Conditions Matter: Opens in new tabFuel economy will vary depending on how and where you drive; city driving with frequent stops and starts affects fuel consumption differently than highway cruising. 

Is it cheaper to run an automatic or manual?

Automatic cars tend to be slightly less fuel-efficient than manual cars as they use more energy to shift gears. An automatic car requires a torque converter in the transmission while a manual car does not. A torque converter in automatic transmission uses fluid to transfer power from the engine to the transmission.